Archives for November 2012

I remember purchasing my first cashmere sweater over 20-years ago. I hold dear the memory of caressing it and thinking how I had never felt anything so soft. I tried it on and fell in love with the way it made me feel—luscious! It was $200, a fortune at the time, but I bought it knowing I would have it forever. As a buyer I find it harder and harder to find that same quality in cashmere. There was a time when a sweater labeled 100% cashmere meant the garment would always be soft and sumptuous. Today the once luxurious filament can itch and feel bristly. I can still find cashmere sweaters with the same supple hand but no longer is the “100% Cashmere” label a guarantee of anything special.
I remember the first time I stepped into a Price Club (now Costco). The aisles of this warehouse were packed from floor to ceiling with boxes of cereals, 12-pack toilet paper, and gallon jugs of soy sauce . . . it left me speechless. People no longer had use for the standard shopping carts but now required long flat beds, the likes of which had only been seen at lumber yards. Price Club had everything, food, electronics, and lawn furniture. They even had cashmere sweaters. I can recall the long table filled with short-sleeved 100% cashmere sweaters in every color, pink, blue, violet and everyone’s beloved black all for $49 each.
It dawned on me at the time that I could have three cashmere sweaters and a year’s worth of toilet paper. That was over 20 years ago, not quite forever but I still have my first cashmere sweater. I think I made the right choice.

I recently was at a party where almost every woman showed up in boots, leggings and some sort of longish top. I didn’t know a lot of the people at this gathering and being in a rather quiet mood I became a reluctant observer rather than a social participant. I was mesmerized by the uniformity of dress. I became captivated by watching this trend throughout the evening. Three or four women would stand in a circle with drinks talking about work, kids and the last time they saw each other. I couldn’t help but wonder, “Do they notice that they are all dressed in the same outfit?” Is the popularity of trends more about our need to fit in?
When I was growing up my mother would buy 4 or 5 yards of fabric and one pattern. She would sew-up 3 or 4 of the same dress in different sizes and off to church we would go . . . I was mortified! Standing for pictures was a cringe-worthy moment. I later would look at those pictures of us posing in the same sleeveless, floral dress and think that this must be some kind of child abuse. During the week I would wear a uniform: a white sailor-inspired shirt was worn neatly over a green and grey knife-pleated skirt, which grazed the knees. This look was accompanied by a green cardigan and white shoes. Every school day I donned the same outfit through 8th grade until high school where I endured another four years of a regimented dress code. From the ages of 14 through 18 my weekly attire was not much different than the past four years. I welcomed the exchange of a white buttoned-down shirt similar to the one Popeye was famous for wearing. The plaid pattern remained consistent but the dull green was replaced by a mild blue. There was a greater awareness of self in high school and that became more apparent as I agonized over the uneventful parade of classmates dressed in this identical manner day after day.
College was liberating. I could wear what I wanted on any given day. I experimented with color and combinations of silhouettes. I wore crazy fusions of vintage and modern clothing. I would sew up something different just to be different.
It is a beautiful day today and as I watch women stroll up and down the street in their leggings, boots and longish tops, I think they never went to Catholic School.

Have you ever stopped to read the ingredients of your beloved skincare products? My initial reaction when I pick-up a product is to do just that but I soon stop reading the ingredients because it’s far too daunting—long-syllabled words that cannot be deciphered without a medical manual are printed in a teeny-tiny font on the back of each box or tube. Instead, I take the easy route and look for large lettering emboldened on the front of the packaging with words like “natural” and “cruelty-free”.
Shopping for skincare is not easy. Products that are labeled “anti-aging” are ubiquitous. Just the word, “anti-aging” suggests aging can and should be stopped because there is something so dreadful about it that no one should have to experience looking older. The claims of “natural” are just as ubiquitous. Since the FDA has very little control over personal care products, manufactures take license with claims. Clearly we cannot rely on the manufacturers of products to tell us the truth. Therefore, Ladies, we are on our own when it comes to getting the facts straight, so in a show of solidarity for our well-being and glowing skin I did a little digging.
You don’t need to spend a small fortune on creams and the like to find safe and amazing products but you do need to have a closer look. There are three ingredients from which you should always stay away, petroleum products, parabens and mineral oils.Petroleum products are bad. They are bad for your skin and the environment. The EWG (Environmental Working Group) conducted an independent study which revealed that around 22% of skin care products contain 1,4 Dioxane, a known carcinogenic. Keep in mind that 1,4 Dioxane is only one of many contaminants found in petroleum-based skin care products. If that is not enough to send you running into your bathroom to clear your medicine cabinet of everything that has petroleum in its formulation, then this piece of news will—petroleum products block the skins ability to moisturize itself, which results in dry, chapped and unattractive skin. The FDA maintains that petroleum is not safe to ingest yet it is used in many lip balms! Crazy, right?Parabens are used as preservatives in an estimated 90% of skin care products. There is some controversy as to whether or not parabens are safe. I ran across one little factoid that sealed my opinion of parabens. A 2004 study by The Journal of Toxicology found high concentrations of parabens in 18 out of 20 breast tumors. You can argue that just by the fact parabens are in tumors does not make them carcinogenic. However, what you cannot argue with is that the body absorbs and stores this chemical in breast tissue.

Mineral Oils are a petroleum derivative. According to Denise Spanek, esthetician and founder of Air Repair skin care, “Mineral oils are the second cause of aging skin. First is sun exposure.” Mineral oils over time will actually dry out your skin.

Finding products without petroleum and parabens at your local drugstore and department stores will take some digging. Your best bet is to look for these healthy products on line or shop at your local natural grocer’s and smaller shops that understand the importance of product safety. But most importantly please read the labels! If you need more information on the safety of skincare products have a look at the Skin Deep website.
I would love to hear back from you. What products do you recommend and where do we find them?